Evaluation of haloalkaliphilic sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms with potential application in the effluent treatment of the petroleum industry

• Published in: Biodegradation (Dordrecht) 2011-02, Vol.22 (1), p.83-93
• Main Authors: Olguín-Lora, P, Le Borgne, S, Castorena-Cortés, G, Roldán-Carrillo, T, Zapata-Peñasco, I, Reyes-Avila, J, Alcántara-Pérez, S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Alkalies - metabolism; Alkaline soils; Aquatic Pollution; Bacteria; Biodegradation of pollutants; Biological and medical sciences; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Crude oil; Culture; Effluent treatment; Effluents; Environment and pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gammaproteobacteria - genetics; Gammaproteobacteria - isolation & purification; Gammaproteobacteria - metabolism; Geochemistry; Haloalkaliphilic bacteria; Industrial applications and implications. Economical aspects; Industrial Microbiology; Industrial Waste - analysis; Life Sciences; Microbiology; Microorganisms; Molecular Sequence Data; Original Paper; Oxidation; Oxidation-Reduction; Petroleum - microbiology; Petroleum industry; Purification; RISA; Saline soils; Sewage; Sodium chloride; Sodium Chloride - metabolism; Soil Microbiology; Soil Science & Conservation; Soils; Spacers; Sulfides; Sulfur; Sulfur - metabolism; Sulfur-oxidizing; Terrestrial Pollution; Thioalkalibacterium; Thioalkalivibrio; Waste Disposal, Fluid - methods; Waste Management/Waste Technology; Waste Water Technology; Wastewater treatment; Water Management; Water Pollution Control
• ISSN: 0923-9820; 1572-9729
• DOI: 10.1007/s10532-010-9378-4

Haloalkaliphilic sulfur-oxidizing mixed cultures for the treatment of alkaline-saline effluents containing sulfide were characterized and evaluated. The mixed cultures (IMP-PB, IMP-XO and IMP-TL) were obtained from Mexican alkaline soils collected in Puebla (PB), Xochimilco (XO) and Tlahuac (TL), respectively. The Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis (RISA) revealed bacteria related to Thioalkalibacterium and Thioalkalivibrio in IMP-XO and IMP-PB mixed cultures. Halomonas strains were detected in IMP-XO and IMP-TL. In addition, an uncultured Bacteroides bacterium was present in IMP-TL. Mixed cultures were evaluated at different pH and NaCl concentrations at 30°C. IMP-PB and IMP-TL expressed thiosulfate-oxidizing activity in the 7.5-10.5 pH range, whereas IMP-XO presented its maximal activity with 19.0 mg O₂ g protein ⁻¹ min⁻¹, at pH 10.6; it was not affected by NaCl concentrations up to 1.7 M. In continuous culture, IMP-XO showed a growth rate of 15 day⁻¹, productivity of 433.4 mgprotein l⁻¹ day⁻¹ and haloalkaliphilic sulfur-oxidizing activity was also detected up to 170 mM by means of N-methyl-diethanolamine (MDEA). Saline-alkaline soil samples are potential sources of haloalkaliphilic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria and the mixed cultures could be applied in the treatment of inorganic sulfur compounds in petroleum industry effluents under alkaline-saline conditions.